NCKU Prof. Jhing-Fa Wang Promotes Orange Technology

Tainan, Taiwan, April 9th, 2010

Prof. Jhing-Fa Wang of Department of Electrical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, hopes to extend the Green Technology of caring for earth and ecology to Orange Technology of caring for human beings.

As the pioneer of Orange Technology, Prof. Jhing-Fa has raised matters such as the health care and disease prevention of elders and children, natural disaster prevention and disaster-relief of affected households, care and concern for low-income families and the physically and mentally disabled and the elevation of humanistic achievements.

Elder issues derived from Taiwan gradually entering into an aging society include their physical, mental, medical and daily needs. Prof. Jhing-Fa Wang calls the health care industry the Orange Technology because he believes it needs serious consideration and a more complete development.

Prof. Jhing-Fa Wang said, “Green Technology symbolizes environmental issues. The orange color is a combination of red and yellow which gives a warm, healthy, happy and caring feeling. Thus I call the health care industry Orange Technology. When people see orange, they will associate it with care. The development of Orange Technology will not only allow human beings to live longer, but healthier and happier.”

Prof. Wang explained, “The development of technology has caused wealth disparity and interpersonal alienation. Thus the direction of technological research and development needs to be healthier in the future. With the arrival of aging society, countries all over the world are eagerly promoting home-based and community-based health care service with remote monitor methods, in order to create the best living space for people.”

Prof. Wang also pointed out, “Orange Technology includes the health care and disease prevention of elders and children, natural disaster prevention and disaster-relief of affected households, care and concern for low-income families and the physically and mentally disabled and the elevation of humanistic achievements. All the emerging technologies about health and care belong to Orange Technology.”

“So far we have developed service robots for the elders. They have functions of entertainment service, reminder service, enquiry service, home appliances control service as well as telephone service. In addition, when the elders are bored, the robots can follow the instructions of their masters to perform various funny actions. They can also remind the elders of their medication, date and birthday. They are smart enough to answer questions of the elders, such as the current time and local weather. Through voice systems, the robots can easily control the switch of home appliances and take directions from their master to make phone calls.”

The innovative aspect of the point reading pen developed by Prof. Jhing-Fa Wang is that it integrates traditional books with audio books. A person can choose to read or listen to the books whenever he likes. In the future, medical units can make use of the intelligent wireless live video monitor interactive system thus doctors can control the patients’ conditions without visiting the sickrooms.

Prof. Jhing-Fa Wang further explained, “The nature of Orange Technology emphasizes on technological and humanistic. It can be divided into two parts, software and hardware, meaning health care service business model and service technical matters, the software, and environmental facilities and secure equipments to promote service quality, the hardware. The characteristic of health care is to protect individual dignity as well as to provide humanistic service under thoughtful and secure principles. The facilities, equipments and environment of an excellent health care service emphasize on technology, modernization, security as well as humanization.”

Prof. Jhing-Fa Wang believed, “Health care industry covers a wide range from food, clothing, living, transportation, entertainment to policy, environment, medicine and human service, and each aspect is interrelated. When a person enters old age, his physical and masticatory functions will deteriorate, mobility will weaken and vision will worsen. These will cause inconvenience in his daily life. Thus we should focus on the aspects of food, clothing, living, transportation and entertainment to design product that satisfy the needs of the elders. This product design may be regarded as the industrial revolution of a new era! Daily care equipments such as elderly residential environmental control, barrier-free space design, special vehicle design and home care service are areas health care industry needs to improve on in the future.”

Additional Information:
Prof. Jhing-Fa Wang, born on October 10th, 1950, obtained his bachelor and master degrees of Electrical Engineering in National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, and Ph.D degree of Computer Science in Steven Institute of Technology, U.S.
He is currently the Professor of Department of Electrical Engineering in NCKU, the Chair Professor of NCKU, IEEE Fellow, and the Chairman of Tainan Brach, IEEE.
He was the former Curator of National Science and Technology Museum Director, Dean of NCKU College of Engineering, Director of NCKU Computer Center, Chairman of NCKU Institute of Computer Science and Information Engineering, NCKU Director of Computer Systems Technology Research Center and Assistant Professor of Department of Computer Science in Steven Institute of Technology.
Dr. Wang has received 2009 K.T. Li Honorary Scholar Award, National Science Council Outstanding Research Award as well as Chinese Institute of Engineers Outstanding Engineering Professor Award.